Downstream construction news

The Group Executive Director of NNPC has announced that there will be three refineries coming on stream in the country. The refineries are in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna. It is hoped that the start up of these facilities will bring an end to fuel scarcity in Nigeria.

Asia

The Mineral Oil Workers Union are urging the Indian government to increase and upgrade the Digboi refinery in Assam. The said plant is the oldest in Asia and only has a processing capacity of 0.65 million tpy. It has been reported that the plant could be upgraded to have a processing capacity of 9 million tpy and be economically viable.

Saudi Basic Indistries Corp. is expanding in to the Chinese auto sector. The company is constructing a US$ 100 million technology centre in Shanghai. At the plant it will focus on alternative energy and materials for auto construction.

Europe

A joint venture between the Ukraine and Russia will be launched in Samara region of northern Ukraine. This venture will produce machines for gas refining into synthetic fuel. The two parties are hopeful that the venture will kick off this year.

Middle East

Byco Oil of Pakistan is commissioning its second refinery. The plant will have a processing capacity of 120 000 bpd. Byco have made an investment of US$ 750 million in this plant and its surrounding infrastructure.

USA

A conversion unit is still offline for maintenance at Valero’s Port Arthur refinery. The hydrocracking unit has been offline since the last week in March and there is no specific time limit in which the maintenance work needs to be done.

The Allen Parish Police Jury have given approval for the construction of a refinery in Oakdale, Louisiana. The land that has been granted for the refinery to be built upon was a Chemical Plant until 2001.